Chapter 43: Crowded with People
At nightfall, the lights inside Moonlit Pavilion were bright, and the place was packed with people. The air was filled with the scent of incense, dispelling the winter cold. Every person at the table was sweating profusely, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
This delicacy called hotpot truly broadened their horizons. Not only was it delicious, but it was also very user-friendly!
Apart from the minimal charge for the pot, customers could choose their own ingredients based on their budget. Even ordinary folks could afford to indulge in various bean products and vegetables, satisfying their taste buds.
In the past, they had never seen such a way of dining.
The waiters at Moonlit Pavilion were busy all around, never resting for a moment. Since they entered Moonlit Pavilion, there had never been a day as fulfilling as today!
Outside the restaurant, a long line of people waited patiently. They gazed at the bustling scene inside, their curiosity and hunger growing. However, no one paid attention to the sign at the entrance limiting the number of people to three hundred, which remained untouched.
“Is it our turn yet?”
“Almost, it won’t be long now.” Due to a shortage of staff, the manager, Peng, personally sat at the entrance to oversee. At this moment, he couldn’t stop smiling, and his admiration for the young master was boundless, like the vast sky of the Great Qing Dynasty.
“Table number three in the common area, the guests have paid their bill, please leave, esteemed guests~” one of the waiters inside the restaurant called out. Peng hurriedly ushered the next batch of customers to their seats.
The common area was on the first floor. This concept was instilled in the minds of Moonlit Pavilion’s staff by Qin Feng. The second floor was for private dining, and the third floor was for elegant dining, catering to different clientele.
As Qin Feng had instructed, the first floor had the largest area, primarily catering to common folks, focusing on quantity to ensure the restaurant’s basic profits.
The second floor catered to martial artists and cultivators. They often ordered exotic meats, making their meals more expensive and profitable.
As for the third floor, it was reserved for the wealthy and powerful. This was where the restaurant made the most profit. Qin Feng had set a rule: to dine on this floor, the minimum single expenditure must not be less than one tael of silver. This amount equaled one-third of an ordinary family’s annual income!
Despite the steep price, the third floor of Moonlit Pavilion was still filled with people wearing luxurious attire.
For these people, money was not an issue. Entering the third floor of Moonlit Pavilion had become a symbol of status, giving them a sense of superiority.
And this was exactly what Qin Feng hoped to see.
“In just half a day, you’ve revived Moonlit Pavilion. It’s packed to the brim. Your methods truly astound me,” said Si Zheng with his face flushed, especially after tasting the delicacies, including the pork belly, which left him craving for more.
Colleagues from the Demon Slaying Department, who were responsible for guest appearances tonight, were also invited by Qin Feng. Tonight, he was footing the bill for these people.
Although it hurt a little, Qin Feng believed this investment was necessary. As the saying goes, you have to spend money to make money.
The two men clinked their glasses and chatted for a long time. Si Zheng took a sip of wine and suddenly sighed, “The food is indeed excellent. Even in Heavenly City, we might not find such delicacies. It’s just a pity.”
He shook his wine glass, “The wine is a bit lacking. If the wine were better, it would be perfect.”
Qin Feng lowered his head in thought. He had ideas about brewing wine but lacked the opportunity and a trustworthy brewer.
It had to be done, but it could wait.
On the other side, in the Imperial City, Tang Hongyun, the Minister of War’s Supervisor, had not attended court for several days, claiming to be seriously ill.
Emperor Mingde sent someone to offer a get well message and learned the shocking news that Tang Xuan, the eldest son of the Tang Family, had his Soul Lamp extinguished and was dead!
When Tang Hongyun discovered this, he was greatly shocked and fell into a stupor. Upon waking up, his suppressed emotions turned into a severe illness.
In his bedroom, Tang Hongyun, with a withered face, lay pale on the bed. Standing beside him was a handsome young man in purple attire.
“Dad, Emperor Mingde has ordered the high-ranking Hundred Ghosts Daoists to divine the soul lamp. The scene before my big brother’s death was pitch black, and his death happened in an instant. They suspect he might have accidentally entered the territory of a powerful demon or ghost with spatial abilities and met an unfortunate end,” said the young man in purple, Tang Fei, the illegitimate son of Tang Hongyun’s concubine.
Upon hearing this, Tang Hongyun opened his eyes and slowly sat up. “To win the favor of the Third Prince, he traveled thousands of miles to provoke the Liu family. How could I have given birth to such a fool?”
He coughed a few times, looking extremely disappointed.
“Father, are you implying that my brother’s death is related to the Liu family?” Tang Fei asked.
“Whether it is or not doesn’t matter anymore. In this world, to die unnoticed, there are countless methods,” Tang Hongyun said coldly.
“Father, are you suggesting…?”
Tang Hongyun didn’t say anything, but a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.
Unbeknownst to Qin Feng, seven days had passed. During these seven days, he hadn’t rested for even a single moment.
He not only had to check the accounts of the inn daily and allocate ingredients but also had to read books in the Listen to Rain Pavilion, accumulating Literature Qi.
What troubles him is that, after reaching the eighth rank in the Literature Saint Dao Lineage, the progress clearly slowed down significantly. Even after reading books for seven days and going through numerous volumes, he still couldn’t fill the first step leading to the Heavenly Platform in his spiritual sea with the absorbed Literature Qi, not even a third of it.
He couldn’t help but start to doubt if he had chosen the wrong path.
While Qin Fen pondered, he wandered around the mansion. Suddenly, he heard the sound of clashing metal.
Following the sound, he saw his second younger brother practicing with Xing Sheng in the courtyard. Compared to the last time, his second brother had matured a lot, and his battles with others seemed more effortless.
Qin Fen activated his dual pupils and looked towards the battlefield. The blood energy within his second brother’s body was noticeably denser than before, and the quantity of his qi was also greater.
It seemed that the recent medicinal baths and qi-enhancing elixirs had taken effect.
This was the power of money!
“Big brother, you’re here,” Qin An put away his narrow-bladed sword.
“Brother-in-law,” Xing Sheng nodded in greeting.
Qin Fen walked over and asked with a smile, “Hei Tan Tou, has my second brother made progress?”
Xing Sheng’s mouth twitched involuntarily, then he replied, “Second Young Master has extraordinary talent and progresses rapidly. His future is limitless. Moreover, if I’m not mistaken, Second Young Master’s sword techniques are on the verge of entering the Heavy As Mountain realm.”
“So fast?” Qin Fen was somewhat surprised. This was half a month earlier than he had expected.
Qin Fen turned to Qin An and said, “Then it’s time for me to tell you about the second stage of the Heavenly Star Elemental Slash.”
Qin An’s face lit up with excitement.
Xing Sheng looked on curiously. Although his brother-in-law had discerned the flaws in the Martial Qi Control Technique at a glance last time, he still wanted to see how his brother-in-law, as a Literature practitioner, could teach martial arts techniques.
Qin Fen entered the courtyard, broke off a tree branch, and began drawing a figure on the ground, depicting the shadowy sword movements.
Qin An immediately approached, observing carefully and learning.
Xing Sheng peeked over, and his heart was startled. Not only was his brother-in-law incredibly perceptive and gifted in poetry, but his painting skills were also exceptional?
This figure of the shadowy sword movements could truly be described as vivid and lifelike!
Qin Fen was also somewhat surprised. After reaching the eighth rank, he clearly felt that his mind was clearer, and he could access his memories effortlessly. In just a short while, he had completed the diagram of the second stage of the Heavenly Astral Essence Slash.
After observing it, Qin An contemplated for a long time. Then he began practicing according to the diagram. After swinging his sword three times, his movements were exactly the same as the ones depicted in the drawing.
Xing Sheng remained silent on the side, showing amazement in his eyes. For a martial artist, martial arts techniques were just the surface; learning them wasn’t difficult. However, it was rare to see someone like the Second Young Master, who could learn so quickly.
But that wasn’t enough. To truly understand a martial art, techniques were secondary. The most important thing was the method of qi circulation.
As expected, Qin Fen started explaining the method of qi circulation for the Heavenly Astral Essence Slash to Qin An.
After the explanation, Qin Fen said, “Second brother, integrate the method of qi circulation into your techniques, and then practice the sword movements a few more times. If there are any issues, I’ll correct you.”
“Thank you, big brother,” Qin An said as he brandished his sword, the sound of it breaking the wind filled the air.
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